Just moved to Arizona last year...
I bought the Prowler in Colorado in April, 2015...it was built in February, 2015 and transported from Elkhart, Indiana sometime in between those dates.
However, I'm not so sure I can blame that amount of rust on salty roads in that short amount of time.
I'm guessing that maybe the frames and axles could have been just sitting around in a stack outside somewhere waiting to be installed for who knows how long...months...a couple of years...
Who knows how long these frames are made before they ever see a camper put on them?
Hey JohnD - hope you are well friend. Frames are built on a JIT (just in time) manufacturing model and are built to order. They are generally delivered a day or 2 prior to being built upon.
Axles come with the spring packs already bolted to them. These come in larger loads and may be around for a couple of days max.
I believe frames are electrostatically painted but not powder coated. Likewise, springs and axles are also, not powder coated.
In the many RVs that I have had (all Lippert Frames), I've never found the finish to hold up against surface rusting.
We have a few members here that have undercoated their frames with automotive undercoating material. Adds weight and cost but I'll bet those frames look amazing today.
We have others here that have used a rust converter such as POR to treat rusty frames prior to putting a real good coat of paint over it. There too, probably really nice frames still today.
I'd like to say that no one should ever have to do this to their frames to prevent surface rust. But I can't say that. The coatings and processes being used just isn't what most of us want it to be.